


Mixing of Realities

by stephenssupreme



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Doctor Strange (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Timelines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 06:38:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10634340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephenssupreme/pseuds/stephenssupreme
Summary: When Stephen Strange of the Marvel Cinematic Universe messes up on a spell, he finds himself face with a VERY familiar face.





	

**Author's Note:**

> bascially, mcu stephen meets 616 stephen because surprisingly, this is one of the only characters who could canonly achieve this mix up.

Oh crap.

 

Using his sling ring to travel from place to place on Earth was all well and good, however, one thing no one had really tutored him on was traveling to other realities. The mirror dimension? That was easy - it was practically the same place just in a bubble. The dark dimension? Due to the crack in realities, Stephen was able to just fly on up there without having to conjure up a single spell or use his sling ring.

 

When the time had come for him to travel to the fourth dimension without any  _ proper  _ training - bear in mind, he would have asked Wong for help but he was too proud to admit he didn’t know how - Stephen  _ may  _ have mucked up just a little. He believed he was saying all the right words and performing the correct hand gestures and yet when the spell ended with a flash of light, he appeared to be exactly in the same spot within the Sanctum but a few things had moved around and maybe certain things were different colours— WAIT! 

 

That was a snake. A living, breathing snake. On. His. Desk.

 

Thank the vishanti, Stephen had no phobia of reptiles or animals of any kind, though that didn’t change the fact that there was a snake in his home. With his brows knitted, creases lining his forehead, the sorcerer tentatively edged forward wanting to get a closer look at the intruder. Instead of getting defensive or slithering away, the cold creature simple rose it’s head, looking Stephen square in the eye.

“Hello, handsome.”

“Okay… I’m high. Yep. A snake is talking to me so I must be high.” Of course, that was Stephen’s first and frankly  _ only _ assumption for the time being.

“High? High on what?” The way the snake spoke was somewhat comparable to a drunken slur, though every word that was spoken could be understood. “If I was a hallucination, you wouldn’t be able to touch me, would you, pretty boy?” Oh no, now he was tempted. Part of him wanted to hold back but his hand was already reaching towards the animal, only to snap back to his side as he heard a hoarse voice speak up from behind him.

  
  


“Don’t touch the snake. My, I can’t even believe you gave him the satisfaction of a conversation.” Turning round to face the man revealed that he was remarkably similar to Stephen himself - greying hair at the temples, though maybe this man was a little older than he was. He even sported a goatee which was a style Stephen could always vainly admire. 

“Is this little guy yours then?” He questioned, standing up to hold his gloved hands behind his back - a bad choice since the snake had used this as its chance to slither over the gap between Stephen and the desk and make it’s way up to the man’s shoulder.

“No. Not mine. He’s an unwanted lodger who I asked to asked to leave,” the stranger’s attention was now directed solely at the scaled creature, “ _ months  _ ago but he hasn’t seemed to get the message.” Peering at the snake lasted for a couple more seconds, though both parties soon grew tired of the eye contact and once again, Stephen was ‘welcomed’ back into the conversation. “Which brings me to my next point, dear; who are you and why are you in my Sanctum?”

_ His  _ Sanctum? Oh no. He must be mistaken, surely. Clearing his throat, Stephen decided to take the moral high ground and respectfully answer the man’s questions

“I’m Doctor Stephen Strange and I’m sorry if you’re confused or something but this is  _ my  _ Sanctum.” There was a silence after this reply, the only noise in the room being the soft, cool breathes that rhythmically escaped from the snake resting by Stephen’s ear.

 

It seemed like forever, but the older looking man eventually opened his mouth to say something. “Oh no… I know what this is.” There was no denying it, it had been staring them both straight in the face and both of them should have been shocked that they had failed to notice this sooner. “I am Stephen Strange too, most probably from another reality, however. There are slight differences to the both of us but when it boils down to it; we are the same person.” Clearly, this Strange knew his stuff. Maybe it had even happened to him before? “Question is… How in Almighty Oshtur did you manage to get here since - and I know I shouldn’t assume but - you don’t seem as though you purposely traveled here.”

 

In all honesty, Stephen was speechless. He had been told to forget all he knew to be true and yet he had never stopped to wonder if there were multiple versions of himself. God, he was still so new to all of this. 

“Your assumption is correct… Stephen. Oh Jesus, this is way too weird. I’m just going to reclaim my words from earlier and still insist that I’m high - that’s the only explanation.”

“You’re not high, trust me.”

“I’m only trusting myself right now, sorry.”

“Exactly.”

“What?” Oh. Oh he had caught him out since if he was to trust himself, he was also to trust the man stood opposite him. “Oh. I see you trying to be all clever. Okay, if you’re really another version of me - name the one person you hate the most and I’m only accepting honest answers here. We say it together to make sure neither of us lie.”

Strange gave a curt nod, agreeing to the terms Stephen was setting out. It was only fair.

“Okay on the count of three; one, two, three—”

“Myself.”   “ _ Myself. _ ”

“Fuck! Why? Why did you have to go and prove yourself right?” Honestly, why was Stephen even asking? The more questions he threw at this other version of himself, the more confused he seemed to be getting.

“I don’t know, maybe because it’s the truth, Stephen? I suppose you’re still in your early years of sorcery?” As threatening as this whole situation was, Strange wasn’t actually that bad - he spoke calmly and not in such a way to mock Stephen.

“Yes… I’ve only just become Sorcerer Supreme.” Suddenly, Stephen was feeling ten times inferior to the other man, his head beginning to hang a bit, though, the snake - which was still on his shoulder - soon made him snap his head back up since it moved in front of his neck to then travel down his back again so it could reach the table, leaving the two men in peace.

 

As mind boggling as this whole situation was, neither of them were in a rush to get Stephen back to his own reality - curiosity now reigned over them both. Moving over to one of his armchairs, Strange ushered the other sorcerer over to take a seat opposite him, “I believe we have much to discuss in that case, however… Perhaps we should avoid talking about any significant deaths that have happened.”

“Why’s that? Everyone’s going to die eventually so any names mentioned shouldn’t come as a shock. Besides, each timeline has it’s differences meaning someone might die here but live on for numerous years for me.”

He had a point - he might have still been considered a young sorcerer in Strange’s eyes but he already had the attitude of a seasoned sorcerer supreme nonetheless. So at that he just shrugged, his gloved hand being held up in a lazed fashion because he had propped his elbow up on the armrest. Strangely… Even their mannerisms were similar.

“So, old man, what do you want to know?”

“Everything, of course. But to keep things simple; let’s treat each other as strangers and one of the first questions an intrigued stranger might ask is ‘have you got partner?’” As selfish as it may sound, Strange found himself asking this for one main reason - Clea. If THIS Stephen had yet to meet Clea, maybe, just maybe, he could swoop in and start afresh. Treat her how he should have treated her all those years ago. He was a heartbroken man still trying to reach a love that should be long left in the past.

“No. I haven’t been in a relationship for years. I’ve had a few flings here and there but nothing serious. You?”

“No. Unlike you I have had serious relationships, though. I always drive the women away eventually, however, that or I push them away in fear of them being hurt.”

“Only women?”

“Never had a full on relationship with men, sex though, plenty of times but I’m sure you know all about that - it all started at—”

“Med school.”   “ _ Med school. _ ”

 

In unison the pair burst out synchronised laughter, remembering their own version of events and for the first time in weeks both of them were truly smiling - something neither of them had done in a while. They would be sat there talking for quite some time by the looks of it.


End file.
